CH 111

Rex, in the end, was the one who opened his mouth first.

“Uh……. When I met him on Gieffroy the other day I spoke with him…. It was presumptuous, but I was so worried about you now that you’re really getting engaged…….”

Rex’s voice was pitifully weak; he couldn’t even connect his sentences properly. It was probably three months ago when I, Hestia, and Rex returned to Gieffroy after a long time; perhaps it happened when Hestia and I were away.

It surprised me that Rex approached Demimore first, the person he felt most uneasy around, given how shy he was and how reluctant he was to interact with others due to his timid personality.

And the reason for this is me. I was deeply moved as I recalled Rex earlier crying and looking at me.

“Yes, presumptuously.”

Demimore’s cold tone was a little, or very, very unfamiliar, so I couldn’t get the timing to intervene. However, it appeared that Demimore was feeling rather uneasy at the time. I quickly snapped back to reality and realized that now was not the time to get lost in a sea of emotion.

The tension between the two gradually spread like cold air, freezing the friendly banquet hall. The people in the banquet hall pretended to chat with each other, but I could tell they were focusing on us; it would have been more comfortable if they just openly watched us.

I had no idea why these two were fighting over me, but I felt obligated to mediate despite my ignorance.

“You know, Demimore, I don’t know what Rex said, but maybe it’s because he’s so worried, so why are you upset?”

“No, sister! Yes, that’s right. It’s because I’m worried, but I guess my expression wasn’t quite right. I’m sorry, Prince. I apologize.”

To make the lower water clear, the upper water must first be clear.

Originally, I planned to ask Demimore what had upset him and apologize to him if Rex didn’t, but Rex was startled and stopped me when I tried to argue with Demimore.

“You two are too close to the point where I’m envious.”

Demimore sighed and shut his eyes.

He spoke in his customary playful manner, which relieved me. He didn’t seem as enraged as I had anticipated.

“Demimore gets along well with Princess Lausanne, too”

“Yes, we’re so close that someone even said I have a crush on her.”

Demimore let out a hysterical sigh. Thinking of our romance junkie Lausanne made me chuckle. Yes, Princess Lausanne might be observing this situation and assuming it involves a love triangle. I got chills just thinking about it.

“I apologize as well; I felt a little strange when Rex warned me, but I shouldn’t have said this in such a place; I also understand his behavior when I think of Princess Lausanne.”

“Ah…….thank you for your understanding…….”

He even gave a warning?

It was so unexpected that when I looked at Rex next to me, Rex was biting his lips with a troubled expression. Yeah, that’s Rex I know. Did he really warn the prince and not ask for a favor?

“Can you excuse us for a moment? Mary and I need to talk about something.”

Rex hesitated at Demimore’s courteous request. He appeared unwilling to leave. Rex, who inherited Conler’s blood, was a timid but subtly stubborn child.

“Will you step aside for a moment, Rex?”

“Oh, yes.”

But I didn’t want to waste any more energy by remaining in between the two. Rex readily obliged when I asked him to make room for me even though I had used a poor tone of voice. His back made me think of the picture of him crying just now, and that bothered me.

I hope he’s not crying somewhere. When Rex is angry, he is genuinely terrifying. Even though he always followed me closely, he never spoke to me when I crossed the line or broke a promise. The longest record was almost… a week. When we get home, I have to comfort him.

“Knock knock.”

I was lost in thought, looking at Rex’s back, when Demimore piqued my attention in a playful manner. Demimore did indeed have something to tell me. I turned to face Demimore.

What does he have to say that Rex should be sent away? Do you wish to continue discussing Laminaicho?

When Demimore’s mother became ill from poison in her food, Demimore told her that I had given her Laminacho. Demimore’s mother miraculously lived as a result. After hearing the story, the emperor personally wrote me a letter. Since he was at a loss for what to give me in return, he thanked me and pledged to grant any wish I made. It was like a wish coupon.

I resolved not to throw away this coupon. It is a wish coupon that the emperor of this empire promised; it must not be misused!

In the end, the maid in charge of the meal was disciplined for poisoning Demimore’s mother. She didn’t want to serve such a lowly person who didn’t understand her position. That was the surface reason. Regardless of how much the emperor loved the woman, it would have been simpler for the palace to settle the matter in that way.

As a token of appreciation, Demimore’s mother gave me a stunning necklace. As I was merely repaying Demimore’s favor, I assured her that there was no need for her to pay me back.

However, I was also perplexed by Demimore’s question. Any person would eventually require a laminacho. Particularly someone in the same situation as Demimore and her mother. However, when we were discussing Cameron, I did caution Demimore to be wary of the empress.

“That thing.”

“What?”

“Is that the bracelet you got from Rex Bluea?”

All of a sudden a bracelet? I became preoccupied with a subject that wasn’t what I had anticipated. I had assumed it was just a passing conversation before he began speaking seriously, but Demimore’s focus on the bracelet persisted surprisingly long. I grinned awkwardly and hid the wrist that was holding the bracelet behind my back.

“Oh, I have something for you, too.”

Demimore pulled out a small case while observing my actions and said he had something to give me. At first glance, the case’s black velvet material seemed opulent. Demimore handed the case to me. If my prediction is accurate, perhaps this size is…

“It’s a ring!”

Yes, it had the exact dimensions of a ring case.

I was surprised even though I had anticipated a ring to be in the case. This is due to the expensive-looking ruby that was embedded in the ring’s middle.

Isn’t this the undead ruby?

As I alternately focused on him and the ring, Demimore rubbed the bridge of his nose out of embarrassment.

“I thought I should give you a present since it’s an engagement banquet,”

“Can you give me something so precious, didn’t you work so hard for this?”

“If not you, then who else is going to get this precious thing?”

Demimore had taken the ring case from me once more. He then reached out to me while removing the ring from the case. He appeared prepared to affix the ring to my finger himself.

But I found it difficult to reach out. Wearing a ring on the fourth finger is usually appropriate. However, when I was nine years old, I felt a strange pain in that finger, and as a result, I had some sort of trauma. Although it didn’t last long and I wasn’t sure why it hurt, oddly enough, that event turned into fear, which is still present in my finger.

Perhaps sensing my hesitation, Demimore took something out of his pocket. It was simply a common necklace string. Demimore attached the ring to the necklace and draped it around my neck.

“Demimore…”

“I thought it was better now, but I guess it was too much. I’m glad I made the necklace.”

“I’m sorry. You went to so much trouble.”

“I’m the one who’s sorry. Actually, I was thinking of giving you something else instead of the ring, but you already have a bracelet, an anklet is too low, and you already have a necklace from my mother.”

“…….”

“Sorry. I’m just making excuses. Since we’re engaged, I wanted to give you something, and I thought an engagement ring would be nice if I could. I’m sorry, even though I knew you had a trauma.”

Demimore made an open confession, and I was unable to respond. I was only able to play with the ring around my neck. Demimore’s sincerity was clear to me. Somehow, I started to feel like crying a little.